Locked
by Bahamuts AngelVII
Summary: Oneshot. He misses her. I hold no grudge against her, no, not at all. It may be hard to believe, because honestly, my instincts are telling me to fight for him. [Cloud x Tifa]


**Locked  
**_Final Fantasy VII_

**By**: Bahamuts AngelVII

**A/N**: Another Cloti! Wow! Go read my other one shots if you like this one too. Make sure and review!

I wonder if he knows. I wonder if he knows how I feel. I have worked so hard, day and night, to make sure it wasn't obvious. But to anyone else, it is futile. Our eyes lock momentarily. Fleeting glances are all I have. It is all I can say we share. I wish he were mine. But oh, since those days, when we fought together, what has changed? He misses her. I hold no grudge against, her, no, not at all. It may be hard to believe, because honestly, my instincts are telling me to fight for him. But even if I had tried, the battle would've been a lost cause. I could tell from the moment I met her that she was perfect for him.

It wasn't the way she dressed, the way her hair fell gracefully, the way her eyes seemed to sparkle no matter what. She was the epitome of beauty. But these reasons… They weren't the reasons he fell in love with her. Of course not. He saw so much more than that. I could tell he felt closer to her than he had ever felt closer to me. And she returned those feelings. At first I was jealous… I was afraid. I had the urge to hold him back from her. But whose right is it? He is not mine, he was never mine, nor will he ever be mine. But… I have never been mad. Not for a second. Because she offered him more than the world. She offered him more than I ever could, with my measly friendship and advice. I had fought so hard to protect him from his past. She made him encounter it directly. And I know he was grateful.

Although I wish something would happen, I put no effort into it. I can tell his heart is still focusing on her. I will be there for him. Because he needs someone to protect him, sometime, and when that time comes I will be here. It is what I owe to him. To me… To us…

As the celebrations are wild among us, I can tell he is not satisfied. He offers up smiles to everyone as they congratulate him, the man who saved the world. But as I look at him, I can see beneath the surface.

He acts as if he is tough, one of them, as if he is fearless, bold, and unwavering. But I know better. And he knows I do, because he looks at me. Our eyes meet for a second before we look away. He is indeed brave and courageous, but he was not always like that. Deep inside I see a boy. A boy who needed attention but thought he was better. A boy who wanted love, but at the same time rejected anyone who came close. A boy that wanted… A boy that needed protection because if he didn't get it, he would crumble away into nothingness.

I walk away from the party. I smile at the people passing me by. A quick smile to the young ninja, a fleeting hug with a gruff pilot, and a meaningful moment with an ex-Turk. He knew how it felt, too. But that is neither here nor there. So I keep walking. Away, away, away…

Suddenly I find myself sitting on the outskirts of town. Kalm is loud and abrupt and amusing. It is usually the exact opposite. I wonder, how will life be now? Will he leave me again? I think he will, because I know on the inside that he never meant to stay. Although he knows we're friends, he doesn't seem to get that I need him more than he needs me. I'm afraid that he will leave and never come back. My eyes are full at the thought. My hands are shaking and it is scaring me so.

I hear my name. Someone is calling me. The voice is familiar and loved and hated. He comes up next to me and asks me why I left. I can't offer him an answer so instead I just shake my head. He won't let me go. He asks me again, his voice serious yet calm. I look at him earnestly. His feelings for me are unfathomable. Oh, how I would love to tell him how I feel! But I can't. All the logic in the world tells me I can't.

We talk. We talk for hours on end. Sitting here feels right. It feels like that night we had under the stairs beside the Highwind. But tonight is different, and it's okay. He puts his arm around me and I lean against his shoulder. Slowly he is stroking my hair.

I can tell he is getting tired. He pulls me back and together we are laying on the soft grass. The wind is blowing peacefully. He kisses me on the forehead.

Content, we cuddle a little.

I look at him and he smiles at me.

And as I look at the boy I've known for ages, my heart thumps erratically.

I am in love.

And as strange as it seems, I am happy.

I may be fragile, hopeless, and broken.

But I am free.

**A/N: **Yay, I pulled together the ending really quickly. How did you all like it? I wrote this in about fifteen minutes. Haha, so review! Oh yes, and read the other one-shots I have posted. Yes, indeed.


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